Ads' impact lingers

The billboards are down, but the bad taste they left in the mouths of many Canadians remains.

The federal election campaign may not be officially underway, but a hot-button issue emerged when a series of roadside advertisements went up last week. “Say NO to mass immigration” was the message, displayed alongside a photo of People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier. It appeared in cities across the nation, including in Saskatoon and Regina.

The negative response was immediate and visceral. Critics pointed out it is un-Canadian to be unconcerned about the welfare of, and the impression left upon, newcomers to the country. They say it is not just sharing the party’s platform, but is promoting anti-immigrant sentiments.

Bernier and his party say a third-party group put up the advertisements, but they have no problem with their presence and their impact.

“It is only controversial for the totalitarian leftist mob who want to censor it,” Bernier tweeted.

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He is mistaken to think only liberal-minded, sensitive folks take exception to the message. Censorship is absolutely something to ward off in our society; however, people have the right to protest and respond to messages they do not like. Free speech does not mean freedom from the consequences of the substance and tone of what is communicated.

The wisdom of Maya Angelou applies here: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Many Canadians clearly feel worried that a line has been crossed with these billboards.

This is also an important question: how is this incident making people feel about the federal election campaign?

Will politicians learn from this debacle and shy away from the harsh tone of the ads? Will they now take the higher road when it comes to political discourse? It’s hard to be optimistic in this regard, especially considering the exposure the billboards garnered for the burgeoning People’s Party.

The issue could spur some into political action, responding out of a passion for the issues raised. It is more likely, however, the billboards and the controversy will be a turnoff for those already disenchanted with the political system. The last thing we need on the eve of an election is for people to disengage.

The billboards did more than share a fringe party’s platform. They served as a warning that ugly rhetoric and the embrace of divisive tactics could well mark this campaign.